After trying for and missing the geese flock at Van Cortlandt Park (VCP) yesterday, I returned today and spent several hours studying the flock of 1,897 Canada Geese on the Parade Grounds.
>From the flock, I picked out a total of 6 CACKLING GEESE, all well documented >with photographs and video. This beats my previous VCP CACG (Cackling Goose) >high count of 3 in 2013. Some of the Cackling Geese were observed with Dale >Dancis who joined me for a bit and provided valuable assistance in keeping the >flock from getting spooked by park visitors. No easy feat! The Cackling were observed feeding and loafing in 2 pairs with the other two by themselves though not very far off. In addition, there were 6 Canada Geese with neck bands (RY62, RY89, RY93, RY96, RY97 and NF08) along with federal metal bands and one also had a green band # 53 on the right leg. Over the past few seasons studying and noting the banded Geese in the flock has helped me to track their movements and so listing them here would help observers if they are seen in places like Inwood Hill Park. Please report to me offline, if these numbers are seen elsewhere other than Van Cortlandt Park. If you are interested in trying for the Cackling Geese, I would suggest either a week day or early Sunday morning. Saturday, is always problematic with the ongoing track and field events and the geese tend to disperse from the lake onto the golf course or other nearby areas to feed, if the Parade Grounds are not available to them. I would also caution would be Geese Gagglers on the presence of several lesser Canada types in this flock, some with very small looking bills. Be also on the lookout for Great White-fronted and Barnacle Goose both of which have been reported from the grounds in the past. Other notable birds on the Parade Grounds today included 1 American Pipit and 1 Snow Bunting. I did not hear or saw any Horned Larks today but did have 10 yesterday while birding the are with Bronx Brendan. At some point, I will have photos up on my blog with some of today's fine looking Geese. Cheers, Andrew Baksh -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
